It's been a while.... sorry

Hey faithful blog followers, how are you all?

We are good and things are going well.

I will write more in the coming weeks, but wanted to check in!

2 bits of good news.

• Liz has become a team member. She is an amazing lady with an amazing life story and we are sure that God has called her to work with us.
• We have 5 more years. Romford Baptist church who started this partnership have extended it by another 5 years. this is a great encouragement. 

talk soon......honest!

spare bedroom tax- letter to my MP

Dear Dame Watkinson MP

I hope this finds you well. I am writing to you about the proposed changes to housing benefit that are commonly being called the ‘spare bedroom tax’.

While I understand that there are no easy solutions to the present economic difficulties, I think that the route the present government are taking to reduce the welfare bill is illogical and will in the end prove to be both morally detrimental and financially costly to the UK as a whole, but especially to the most vulnerable communities. 

This is because the ‘tax’ is a subtle but dangerous way of undermining of local community. In my opinion it will have the following effects.

It will reduce community stability

This 'tax' would not be as big an issue if people were able to stay in the same area but the lack of suitable housing stock means that this is not guaranteed. Obviously all communities experience levels of change, but if we are intentionally ‘moving’ people on then we are reducing the sense of local pride and ownership over a local community.

It will increase the pressure on Children

It is well documented that children’s performance levels and behaviour are both affected by moving to a new area. By forcing families to move the bedroom tax will actually add to the pressure on children who are already living in very demanding circumstances.

It will increase the stress felt by people who are already stretched

People in more vulnerable communities typically have higher levels of poor physical health and mental health issues. Again I wonder if this change to housing policy will only make things worse and result in increased pressure on other community resources like doctors and community mental health care teams.

It will reduce the number of socially rich people

Socially rich people are those who have good local support networks, which have taken time to build, and which they have come to rely on. If our social housing policies mean that people will need to move more regularly then we will be reducing the number of people who not only own the community, but who work for it and so contribute to the common good of those who live within it.

It will significantly increase levels of personal debt

Debt per household is already high and this ‘tax’ can only contribute to that problem. Some will not move, because they cannot afford to, and will have to borrow more to supplement the reduction in their housing benefit. Others will move but get into greater debt because moving is expensive and they cannot really afford these costs.

It will lead to a reduction in people's engagement with professionals and support services

In communities like Harold Hill it can take years to help a person or family have the confidence to engage with local professionals, such as GP’s or family support workers. By reducing community stability we reduce the possibility of those who need it most engaging with those who can help. People will slip through the net if they move.

As you can see, I am convinced that the 'spare bedroom tax' will cost the poorest communities dearly.

I’m really not interested in who is to blame for the current financial mess. I am however very concerned about my community and others like it will be effected in the years to come.

As a church leader I’m convinced that part of the church's message of hope is that while life alone is hard, almost impossible, together as a community it can be fun, varied and vibrant. What a shame if this 'tax’ then puts this type of community experience even further beyond the reach of those who are most vulnerable and who most need it. 

Yours sincerely 

Rev. Rich Shorter 

Is it wrong to look for instant changes in people?, I have a hunch it might be!

So Caleb is watching the Lord of the Rings films with me, bit by bit. I love him watching with excitement as the story unfolds. (We watch about 20mins 2/3 evening a week). So I've started to listen to the books. The books are different to the films. The films had to be different from the books, because they probably would not make great films if the story was not changed.  The thing is the time span of the books is far longer than the film. Frodo for example is not a young hobbit when he set out to destroy the ring. Gandalf spends decades researching and seeking wisdom about the ring before doing something. The world of middle earth and the world of Tolkin seem to be one which appreciates the wisdom and changes which come with time.
So coming to think of does the Old Testament and God. There are loads of Stories in which people have to wait for change for God's change take time to ferment. The exodus, 40 years, 40 years. Ok as a result of peoples sin, but still God seemed to be happy with a process of change, an acceptable of wisdom which was not a snap acceptance of the will of God, but a slow and thoroughly taken in acceptance of change to the will and character of God.

I wonder if we've done to discipleship what the film makers had to do the Tolkin books! This is certainly the way of the world, working with the Local authority they want to change families in months, rather than years! Is our discipleship now about  making about big fast and dramatic changes! Rather than the working out of what it is to follow Jesus day by day season by season.  Do we expect church plants to working with broken people and in a few years see people ready to leader them?

I believe the reality is that change for those who we are serving is a big deal and it's only change if it's given the chance to ferment and adapt  through the seasons of life.

Don't get me wrong, God, can do as God wishes in an instant, thats why he's God,( and there are plenty of stories in the bible where he does bring real instant change) but it seems to me He loves us into real change, and real change requires us to step by step work out what following Jesus is like. It also give permission for mistakes and failure. After all we are to work out living for God. That sound like process, not instant miracle. The miracle is God stay with us as we step forward, backwards and side to side. Now that is Love and Grace to stay with me on the road to my own mordor.

I'm praying God changes people's lives beyond their understanding, that He gives Hope, freedom, forgiveness, an identity and Himself. Our culture would say do it now god, but I pray I have the faith to stay on my path serving others for the long haul.

The films are good, but the book are far richer and beautiful by the way.

R.

PS, come back in 20 years time when i'd probably learnt to understand this better and so say it better!

getting ready

some people have put together this blog 25things for advent . have a look, its about getting more from advent.

r.

Words last year from a 93 year old lady who we bury tomorrow- wisdom comes with age

"Even though your work in the community seems slow to materialise, it really will make a difference.
Even small things are remembered for many years to come, helping in so many ways.
One will never know the extent of your Ministry."

written in a card to R.

So on friday I met the Queen, thanks to you!

This last Friday the Queen came to Harold Hill to open the new academy on the Hill.

The Academy opened 2 years ago, but the the key staff have been working on the Hill for the last three years. I was privileged to be invited to have lunch with the Queen, which I thought would mean I be in a room with around 100 others have a bit of grub! This was in fact the case, but the real surprise for me was that I was part of group of people invited to be introduced to her personally in the school staff room. There were five groups- school governors, some of the school staff, people from the local authority, the local primary heads and the builders/ architects of the new buildings.( I was placed with the local head teachers). I informed the Queen that we had done parenting courses and such in the school. I also informed her that my three children wanted me to tell her that they thought she was a wonderful Queen. ( Caleb asked me to say this and Alison and the kids saw her outside the school.) Over all it was an amazing experience and I'm very grateful to the staff at Drapers for the opportunity.

I could write so much more, but the point of writing this in a blog was not to brag, but  to say thank you.

Thank you for your support because I believe I was invited not because I was a local Minister- but because of the way we have worked with the school, and we have worked in this way because others have supported and released us and believed in us and our calling from God to be/live in this way.

When we think about the way we have worked with the school it has been marked out by being relational, willing to work with those families who others have, will to work long term, willing to be openly Christian but not forceful, willing to ask how are you and too listen.

Meeting the queen was amazing, but in a difficult week, it was such an encouragement to realise that the invitation to do so was an outcome of us trying to follow Jesus and live out the lifestyle values he has called us to live out.  Thank you for the support and encouragement to live in this way.

PS- I must say Steve T did loads of work in the school while he was part of the team, so it did feel a little like stealing his glory meeting her, but hey I'm not complaining.

PPS, I think I would call myself a royalist and Her Majesty was amazing, but i'm still a baptist- The church and state should be separated for a number of reasons, but I didn't think friday was the time to bring this up!!!

PPPS yes I did wear a suit and tie!

Thank you for helping us offer an alternative

To be honest i'm not often sure what we're up here on the Hill is making a big difference or not! ( cup half empty kind of week from me!) But you have those moments of realisation that actually some of what we are doing is massive, not because it's clever or 'new', but because it's offering an alternative.
A couple of moments from last week  highlighted this for me.  The main one must be the Ladies pamper night Alison hosts in our home, it's a alternative place for people to come into a place of peace/welcome/ acceptance. This alternative is a gift which Alison offers the Ladies and i believe does not go unnoticed. Jesus was often, if not always offering alternatives to all people, sometimes that alternative coursed great discomfort because it challenged sin and injustice. Other times it must have bought great comfort and hope- the God was with us and near.

I hope your week is a week of offering Kingdom building alternative to those around you.